System for packaging and storing specialty lighting and elongated items of narrow width

Abstract

A method for packaging specialty lighting strings and elongated items of narrow width, especially useful for specialty light strings which contain large, bulky decorative light covers or complicated patterns such as icicle lights. Scarves, decorative garland, ties, and lawn ornaments may also be packaged effectively. Items are passed through a cylinder of rigid material on which a quantity of thin plastic tubing is compressed. Once the item emerges out the end of the cylinder, the beginning of the plastic tubing is secured to the end of the item with a twist tie. The end is then grasped and the item is pulled completely through the cylinder. As it comes through, it is encased in the plastic tubing which unravels from the cylinder. Once through, the end of the item is secured to the tubing with a twist tie and the tubing is cut. Thus a completely packaged item which may be stored dust and tangle free.

We claim: 
     
       1. A method for packaging specialty lighting strings and seasonal elongated items, comprising: (a) providing a length of tubing of plastic film of sufficient length to enclose one or more of the specialty lighting strings or seasonal elongated items desired to be packaged;   (b) providing a cylinder of rigid material with a diameter sufficient for the item to be wrapped to pass through and with a length sufficient to hold said length of plastic tubing compressed onto said cylinder;   (c) providing a box of sufficient size to contain said cylinder of rigid material with the stored length of plastic tubing, with circular openings in said box concentric with said cylinder; wherein said cylinder of rigid material is attached on the inside of the box to one side so that said lighting string or elongated item is pulled through the cylinder through the circular openings and the said length of plastic tubing is pulled off of said cylinder and over said lighting string or elongated item and fastened at each end of the lighting string or item, whereby said lighting string or elongated item may be easily packaged for storage.     
     
     
       2. The method of claim 1 wherein the box is made of paperboard and the circular openings are formed by cutting perforations in the sides of the box concentric with the cylinder of rigid material. 
     
     
       3. The method of claim 1 wherein the length of plastic tubing has perforations cut in it widthwise to facilitate cutting the length of plastic sheet once the lighting string or elongated item has been packaged. 
     
     
       4. The method of claim 1 wherein the length of plastic tubing has perforations cut in it lengthwise to facilitate removing the length of plastic tubing when the lighting string or elongated item is to be reused. 
     
     
       5. The method of claim 1 wherein the cylinder of rigid material is made of paperboard. 
     
     
       6. The method of claim 1 wherein the box is made of plastic and the cylinder of rigid material is made of plastic, and the compressed plastic sheathing can be replaced on the cylinder as needed. 
     
     
       7. The method of claim 1 wherein a clip is attached to the box where said clip will attach the box to a users belt. 
     
     
       8. The method of claim 1 wherein shrinkable plastic wrap is used to cover said cylinder of rigid material with compressed plastic tubing in place of a box of rigid material. 
     
     
       9. A hand-held system for packaging elongated decorative lights comprising a cylinder of rigid material holding a compressed length of thin flexible plastic tubing of sufficient length to enclose one or more strings of decorative lights, said cylinder being enclosed within and attached at its one end to one side of a box while leaving its other end unattached, said box being constructed from a rigid flat material foldable into a six sided box having circular holes in opposing sides concentric with said cylinder, said holes of sufficient diameter so as to allow the light strings to pass through the holes and through the cylinder inside the box, and the box sufficiently large to allow the plastic tubing to be pulled off the unattached end of the cylinder and cover the light string as the light string is manually passed through the box so as to enclose and wrap said light string for tangle-free storage. 
     
     
       10. The system of claim 9 wherein the box is made of paperboard and the circular openings are formed by cutting perforations in the sides of the box concentric with the cylinder of rigid material. 
     
     
       11. The system of claim 9 wherein the length of plastic tubing has perforations cut in it widthwise to facilitate cutting the length of plastic sheet once the lighting string or elongated item has been packaged. 
     
     
       12. The system of claim 9 wherein the length of plastic tubing has perforations cut in it lengthwise to facilitate removing the length of plastic tubing when the lighting string or elongated item is to be reused. 
     
     
       13. The system of claim 9 wherein the cylinder of rigid material is made of paperboard. 
     
     
       14. The system of claim 9 wherein the box is made of plastic and the cylinder of rigid material is made of plastic, and the compressed plastic sheathing can be replaced on the cylinder as needed. 
     
     
       15. The system of claim 9 wherein a clip is attached to the box where said clip will attach the box to a users belt.